Patrik Jones and the Code of the Universe

by Robert S Kleinstone

  «On the terrace at the top of the tower. But why should she say yes to you?» asked Kalberham curiously.

  «Because I am Marco the Great, and you two are amateurs» he replied, setting off.

  Poligon Dhaal laughed out loud. After all this, he liked the impertinent Earthman.

  *

  Patrik arrived in front of Lokkar's room and what he saw he would never really have expected.

  The Arkassian and Kaira were talking as if they knew each other.

  As soon as she saw him she ran to hug him.

  «Terrestrial, who is this girl?» Lokkar asked.

  «Her name is Kaira. What were you two talking about? How did you meet?» asked Patrik, a little suspicious.

  «I opened the door and she was out here waiting for me. I don’t understand what game you're playing, Patrik Jones. Why does she know the name of my parents?»

  Lokkar was getting nervous.

  «I don’t know. Kaira was entrusted to me on Kentaura and I have no idea who she is, I only know she knows things that we all ignore. I limit myself to protect her and I let her protect me, whether you believe her or not».

  «Go tell this story to someone else, I will not listen to more lies. If you really want to protect her, keep her away from me». Having said that, he headed for the exit.

  Patrik leaned toward the child.

  «What did you tell him?» he asked.

  «You don’t have to be fooled by his ways, Patrik Jones. His heart is very good» she answered, completely ignoring her question.

  He smiled. He was so used to not receiving answers from Kaira that he almost didn’t pay any attention to it.

  «You say he has a good heart, eh? You know, Miss, I suspect so too» he said after picking her up.

  *

  Marco came to the top of the tower and saw immediately that Alannah stood alone looking at the horizon.

  She noticed his presence.

  «If you came here to try to convince me to come, you're wasting time, Marco» she began immediately without him saying anything.

  «Alannah, I don’t understand. Did you do so much to stay with us and now you are pulling back?»

  «I don’t want to impose my presence where it is not appreciated» she replied curtly.

  «Come on, don’t talk nonsense, you know that we all want you to come. And you don’t think about Kaira? Who will stay with her as we venture into such hostile territory?» he asked her to try to make her think.

  «Kaira?! She is happy only when she is with your stupid friend. For what dark reason, nobody knows. How do you become attached to such an insolent and despicable being as Patrik Jones ?!»

  Marco wanted to laugh but he held back. The little Miss was really cooked.

  «Aaah, don’t call him that, he's not bad. He's just a little stressed. You know, all this pressure on him...»

  «Just a little nervous?!» she screamed, all the rage in her body exploding. «Let me tell you who your friend is. He's rude and insolent. He thinks he's cool just because he's become a wag warrior, but he's just an idiot. If it had not been for me he would have died inside the Spindorf and maybe it would have been better!»

  «You're right Alannah. I also told him that he was ungrateful to you, but he is clumsy and always ruins everything. Even with Angelica, on Earth, it didn’t work because he could not relate to people» he admitted, feigning real displeasure.

  «Angelica? Who's Angelica?!» she asked, whirling around at him.

  The fish had taken the bait.

  «Nobody…an idiot girl who he went out with a couple of times. Even in that case it did not work because of his temper. Of course, as soon as he returns home like a hero aboard a spaceship, she will throw herself around his neck, but it will not last long. The problem is that he will fall for it ... on the other hand, how could he not? He has no links at the moment».

  Marco waited five seconds for tactics.

  «All right» he said to close the conversation, «then I’ll say goodbye to you, Princess Alannah. Nice to have met you».

  Having said that he turned to leave, but after a few meters a blow from behind pushed him to the wall.

  «Get out of the way! If you believe that I’ll leave that poor child in the hands of that idiot, you are wrong».

  Alannah immediately disappeared in the direction of the convoy and Marco could not help but smile and congratulate himself. Two minutes later, Kalberham and Poligon Dhaal couldn’t believe their eyes at seeing her appear.

  Kalberham smiled. «Princess, I wanted to tell you that...»

  «I changed my mind. I'll come!» she cut them short as she passed them and entered the carriage.

  As soon as she saw Patrik she pushed him against the wall, she pulled out one of her knives and aimed it at his throat.

  «Listen to me, you idiot, I'll come with you! First because Olympia is not yours and you can’t decide anything. Secondly, because I can’t leave Kaira in the hands of the most despicable being in the galaxy. Have I made myself clear?!»

  Before Patrik could say anything, Alannah took the child by the hand and sat down with her. Stunned, Lokkar looked at Patrik who shrugged as if ignoring the motivations of the hostile attitude.

  «But how did you do it?» asked Kalberham and Poligon Dhaal, still outside the convoy, when Marco joined them with a very pleased expression.

  «Boys, you can have all the Codes of the universe, but when it comes to the great mystery of the cosmos, women, you have to turn to the professionals. Gentlemen…».

  He gave an affectionate pinch on the cheeks of the two Guardians and then he too stepped up.

  *

  Arriving in the city of Liliah, the whole group headed for the dock of the Olympia.

  On board, Tadiero and Kalberham began to make pre-flight checks, while all the others took possession of their respective rooms.

  Patrik, with Marco and CK31, went into Patrik’s bedroom to practicethe songs and chords.

  «CK31, you're good and you've modulated your voice like the real singer, but you should move a little more when you play. You're too stiff» Patrik told him at one point.

  «Stiff, sir? I cannot connect this adjective to human behavior, sir. Do you want to put it better?»

  «Oh my God, Marco, help me. How do I explain it?»

  «But what do I know?» he replied. «Ah, wait. I have the video. Here, look how the singer does. You should try to move like him, to interpret».

  «Impossible, sir. As you see, he doesn’t have a bass in his hand and can move freely».

  «All right, but you try to do the best you can. You know, interpretation is all, during a live performance. I know you can do it» Patrik told him again to instil trust in him, forgetting that it was still a machine.

  «Can I do it, sir? I don’t understand. Do or not do. What do you mean by I can do it, sir?»

  «CK31, watch the video!» the two boys ordered him in unison.

  «Listen, how do you see it?» asked Patrik to Marco, moving to one side with him.

  «I don’t know. What is certain is that we don’t have much choice. And then also this name, CK31, is too long and impersonal. Let’s change it. The one belonging to Poligon Dhaal is called Magellan, is not it?»

  «Yup. My father called him that» replied Patrik, smiling and then added «Listen, the name of one of the greatest bassists of all time is Jaco. What do you think about it?».

  «Jaco? Yes, I like it» Marco answered. «It’s fine with me, too».

  «CK31, from today your name will be Jaco. Do you like it?» Patrik told him, raising his voice.

  «Jaco, sir? Yes, if you like it, sir» replied the droid, continuing to watch the video.

  *

  After a while they all found themselves on the bridge.

  «Kalberham, we'll be back as soon as possible» said Patrik, turning to the captain of the Olympia. «It's important for us to have access to Napoleon's computer».

  «All right» he replied. «Try to do it soon though, you
know well that the later we get on Vortix the worse it will be»

  Lokkar stood up, surprised by the news.

  «What do you mean, Terrestrial? Where are you going? I promised the gohtarma that I would lead you to him and I can’t let you go alone, wherever you are headed».

  «Lokkar, I have to do something to understand what’s happening to my mother. I'm sure you understand. If it's a problem for you, you can accompany us. We're headed to the city» Patrik replied.

  Then he felt a pull on his pants.

  «I have to come too» Kaira told him, still tugging at him.

  «Baby, I'll have a lot to do and I can’t even take care of you, you could lose yourself and I will suffer if you do» he replied, leaning towards her.

  «Don’t worry. Alannah will come with me» she answered in his ear.

  «I don’t think she wants to come» he whispered too, so the princess could not hear.

  «Whaaat?! She's dying to come. I think she's jealous because of all the girls you met».

  «Really?» Patrik asked incredulously and happily.

  The girl winked at him.

  He stood up.

  «Princess Alannah, Kaira wants to accompany me, so I ask you the courtesy to join us if it's not a problem» Patrik told her aloud.

  Kaira ran towards her. «Please, Alannah, don’t say no».

  The Princess of Solyar pretended to be taken aback, as if she had not really listened to a single word until then.

  «I don’t really want to come, but if you care so much I will do it for you, and only for you...» she replied, throwing needles with her eyes towards Patrik.

  The little girl was so happy that she began to run inside the bridge, went up for a moment on the star chart table and played her favorite game: in a moment the tail and the somatic features of the Solaryans breed popped up, only to return human one moment later.

  «What's this?» Lokkar asked in fear, pulling out his siel.

  An icy chill ran through the body of everyone present.

  The barrel of Tadiero's pistol, which from behind was pressing on Lokkar's head, served to restore calm.

  «Arkassian, try to hurt that child and I guarantee you that the next thing you'll see will be the Flower of Souls. One way trip».

  «Lokkar, lower the siel. I guarantee you that she's not dangerous» Kalberham said, trying to make him think.

  Patrik picked up Kaira and she pointed to the black Guardian's face, asking him to approach him.

  «I already told you, Lokkar. The Kentauros took me to a sacred place and I was entrusted with her. I don’t know anything about her, but of one thing I'm sure, this little angel is not a threat to any of us» he said, approaching the little girl.

  Lokkar wanted to pull back, but the barrel of the gun was still there, pressing. Kaira put her hand on his face and he immediately felt good. His siel fell to the ground as soon as he saw himself in one of the most beautiful days of his childhood, with his parents and sister on a sunny afternoon.

  Suddenly the girl took her hand away, as if she didn’t want to see anything else, and the dream vanished.

  «You have to help them, Patrik Jones, please. Promise me that you will help them» she said, hugging him tightly and continuing to look at the Arkassian who had remained as if suspended, with the expression of someone who didn’t understand where he was.

  «I'll try it honey, I promise. Now stay calm» he replied.

  *

  When they arrived at Napoleon's place the crowd was already out there waiting for them.

  Tugork stopped them before anyone could see and let them in from the back.

  «Hey, what's he doing here? Those like him can’t go in» said Napoleon as soon as he saw Lokkar.

  «Quiet, he stays with us» Patrik replied.

  «The last Arkassians who were here inside destroyed the place. No exceptions are made».

  Lokkar was about to say something, but Patrik stopped him with his hand.

  «You didn’t understand. This Arkassian is my friend. If he doesn’t enter, no one enters, and you explain it to these outside. Or we all go in and I vouch for him».

  Napoleon thought for a moment. «You have strange friendships, Terrestrial. Come in!» he said with a nod.

  The boys immediately went on stage to try the amplifiers and to tune the instruments.

  After a while Tugork showed up under the stage with three beers.

  «Close encounters, you read my mind» Marco told him, passing a beer to Patrik. «Look, I don’t think our synthetic friend can drink it, just bring it to the Arkassian» he suggested then, leaving the third bottle. «Maybe he melts a little. Then, please, bring two cans of Coca Cola to the girls, but without caffeine for heaven’s sake, the princess is already quite neurotic».

  After a moment, four Carinean girls entered the room.

  «Napoleon, what are you doing? We're not ready» Patrik screamed.

  «They're the maids. You don’t expect me to serve that multitude of people alone, I hope ?!».

  The new arrivals were very excited and didn’t even do anything to hide it. They laughed and watched the boys as they arranged the tables.

  Alannah was disgusted by those stupid people.

  Patrik turned up the volume to try the guitar riff of the song and from outside the crowd began to scream.

  «Well, we wanted to be famous Jones, remember?» Marco said, sitting down at the drums.

  *

  After about an hour the place was full.

  From behind the stage Marco saw Chlomilia, the governor's daughter, in the front row. Jaco was sitting on the sidelines while the two boys ate burgers and chips prepared thanks to Napoleon's machinery.

  «It will be good for the connection to work. That guy is making a lot of money tonight» Marco said to his friend.

  «By the way, sign these» he said, and handed Patrik a hundred photos of himself to be autographed.

  «What!? But there were not these in the deal!» he replied.

  «Yes I know. It was my idea. Thanks to these it will make even more money. In return, the guy will give us one of his machines to make Earth food».

  «Marco you are a genius! Give me the marker immediately» said Patrik, who, among all the problems he already had, began to hate food on the ship.

  «See what our friends are doing?» he asked as he signed.

  «So, Alannah is sitting with Kaira at the back. She doesn’t seem to be having much fun. And how it can be different ...» Marco said after peeping out.

  «And Lokkar?»

  «Drinking beer».

  «What?! I don’t believe it» and stood up to peek at him too.

  The two friends looked at each other and began to laugh out loud.

  At that moment Napoleon took the stage.

  «Ladies and gentlemen, good evening. Welcome to the Bar Caffè Napoleon. Our guest of honor is about to come on stage. He will tell us about his adventure, the road that brought him to here. Here is Patrik Jones».

  A roar of the audience greeted him and he approached the microphone.

  He immediately noticed that the overwhelming majority of the public consisted of women and boys. He felt like the member of a boy band. He began to speak about how they came to take him from his planet and the arrival on Kentaura. Then the Spindorf video was played, and Alannah also felt her eyes on someone who she recognized.

  The biggest surprise came when the video played that Patrik had recorded with the child he had saved a few nights before.

  Napoleon had contacts everywhere, this was clear.

  Some girls in front of Alannah's table commented.

  «These Terrans are strange, but I like that Patrik, to die for».

  «Yes, me too» answered all the others.

  «You're beautiful!» one of them shrieked, and the Princess of Solyar had to use all her self-control in order not to pull out her daggers, which she had secretly hidden.

  Napoleon got on the stage once more.

  «And now, as p
romised, the PJ Band will play us a typical Earth song».

  Marco and Jaco emerged from behind the scenes.

  «What kind of name is PJ Band?» Marco asked.

  «Ah, don’t ask me» Patrik replied as he picked up the guitar.

  They started playing and Tugork didn’t stop following the rhythm with his head all the time. He really had to love that piece. Even Jaco was fine despite the strange movements.

  Then they finished playing and a strange silence invaded the hall.

  «The song is over» Patrik announced, embarrassed and then the audience applauded.

  Marco stood up and bowed.

  «Jaco, this story of interpretation, we study it better, eh?!» he said turning to the droid.

  «How, sir? I don’t understand, sir» he replied.

  «Forget now and bow» he ordered to him, while the people continued to applaud them.

  After a while the two boys, as promised, found themselves in front of Napoleon's monitor, incredulous to see the Google cursor flashing waiting for orders.

  What Patrik read from various news didn’t reassure him at all.

  There were so many news stories of the incident: that it had been done to shoot a film, it was a publicity stunt, and the like.

  The government had stifled the news that was to remain top secret, it was clear.

  Nobody could explain the disappearance of young Patrik Jones and his mother Nadine. Many people hypothesized they were in the Maldives to enjoy life, having been part of the staged event. Marco's parents had reported the disappearance of their son, but swore that he had nothing to do with the incident of the false aliens.

  «They have definitely blackmailed them to silence» Marco said, angrily.

  «At least yours are safe and sound. This comforts me, but as expected my mother will be somewhere and it will be good for me to hurry back. I hope they will not hurt her or realize how dangerous I can be» threatened Patrik, holding the siel firmly.

  *

  After about half an hour they all left the room to return to the Olympia. Patrik led the group. He didn’t really want to talk. Jaco carried the food machine.